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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Boiling Bumble Hill

It was hot, damn hotRight up to Yarramalong, the ride was going pretty well and the Scott CR1 was eating up the k's. The pace was pretty cracking when we weren't fixing punctures.

The hill goes down as the hardest things I have ever done on a bike, so many times I wanted to give up and walk it. I've done it twice before no problems but in this heat today, it was a whole different story. Apologies for the stunted wording in the blog, I am just so shattered I cant be bothered to make up proper sentences, just want to get a few thoughts down for posterity before it get's repressed into the dark recesses of my selective memory. After brief respite at the top of the hill it was time to get going again but I wasn't fast enough to get onto the tail of the bunch and was left with Andrew who was "dirty" for being left behind, and Steve who decided it was so hot it would better to ride without a helmet, but soon turned back to collect his lid.

5 gels, a bar, 2 bananas, 4 (800ml) bottles of TORC Energy, a Powerade, a can of coke and lot's more water and that wasnt even close to being enough but the three of us made steady pace back towards Calga to Andrew cracked. So then there were two, but it wasnt long before I too developed a vapour lock in the engine and had to let Steve go. I rode on praying the van would appear to rescue me but to no avail so I tackled Brooklyn knowing I had very little left to give. About 2/3's up my knight in a shining airconditioned Lexus turned up, Saved at last! I felt sad to throw in the towel but knew I had given it everything and going on would only mean paying back a bigger debt in the days to come.

Returning to the shop there was yummy pasta and an icy cold Kirin beer awaiting. Then onto the family Australia Day lunch for snags, salad and a really nice big baked potato, chased with a bottle of Optimiser. I had even recovered enough to head for our good friends the Wilson's for a quick dip in their pool and a few recovery laps which felt great.

Enough funds raised for the NepCam challenge to give around 50 bikes to kids in Cambodia, well at least we didnt suffer for nothing ;)

Dallas and Fiona did a sterling job of supporting us today and finally I must say a big thankyou to Uncle Fester who appeared out of nowhere as I battled my way back up Brooklyn, towed me the rest of the way to the top and then drove me back to the shop in air-conditioned comfort. Without him, I'd still be doing about 30rpm up some aweful pinch in Berowra somewhere. Putting aside the momentary disappointment of not finsihing, I can still find contentment knowing I gave it my all, found my limits under extreme conditions and rode with an awesome bunch.